By Liu Jimei and Gao Yujiao
GUANGZHOU, Sept. 28 -- The International Military Flight Training Conference 2021 hosted by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) was held in Zhuhai on September 27. Representatives from 49 countries attended the conference by either coming to the conference site or via video link. Twelve Chinese and foreign guests from military and civilian circles made speeches around the theme of “Talent, Innovation, Collaboration, Development”.
An official from the PLAAF said at the conference that the air force development and future intelligentized air battles have put forward new requirements for the competence of pilots, and the PLAAF is engaged in forward production of new-type pilots following the guideline that talent cultivation, commanding system and armaments development should proceed in coordination.
“Cultivating air force commanders for the era of intelligent air battle will be an important brand-new topic in the development of air force,” said Li Xiaocheng, vice president of Chinese PLA Air Force Command College. According to Li, the simulated training mode will be upgraded from “simulation + network” to “virtual + intelligent”, and the training exercise pattern will be evolved from “life-fire confrontation” to “virtual-real combined intelligent confrontation”, with the training assessment upgraded from “manual-based” to “intelligent-based”.
“In face of current global and regional security situation, the ever-changing dynamic warfare and new technologies, China and Pakistan, together with their air forces, have maintained close cooperation and supported each other in every operation,” said Air Chief Marshall Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu, chief of Air Staff of Pakistan.
Hao Jingwen, head of the training bureau under the PLAAF Staff Headquarters, said the PLAAF is upgrading its combat equipment, flight training concept and talent cultivation mode at a faster pace amid the trend of science and technology innovation.
Initiated by the PLAAF in 2010, the International Military Flight Training Conference is an international platform for exchange of views and practice on flight talent cultivation and development and collaborated innovation of flight training and aviation equipment. It is held biennially and has been held six times.